Tips for a Healthy Holiday

I apologize for my long absence, the holiday season is crazy! I have not forgotten you dear readers, and I also hope you have not forgotten to take care of yourselves during these busy and festive times. Many of us know how hard it is to learn to say no to the donuts that can dominate an office setting, or to pass over the bagel that seems like such an easy choice. With the Christmas season upon us, temptations can surround us at every turn. Here are a few things you can do to stay healthy over the holiday, while still indulging in a few treats.

• Make your own holiday goodies, with real food and real ingredients. Those trans-fat, chemical laden sugar cookies from the store will be forgotten if you set a plate of Magic Brownie Bars next to them!
• Volunteer to do some of the cooking at the holiday dinners. This will give you some control over what goes into the food, and potentially avoiding a can-full of high fructose corn syrup.
• No time to cook? Learn how to navigate the table. Pass on the stuffing and rolls, double up on the meat and salad, and make sure to indulge in some mashed potatoes smothered in butter!
• Missing that glass of creamy eggnog? Making your own is easy, and can be done dairy free! Check out this coconut milk eggnog recipe, and enjoy every sip.
• Don't deprive yourself and remember, never tell yourself that you can't have something. Simply choose not to put bad things in your body. There is always a healthier substitution, and thanks to Google, ideas can be found in a snap!
• Remember to keep movement in your busy life! A half hour walk still leaves 23 and half hours in your day.

~Happy Holidays!

Sweet Potato Chili

So this recipe turned out really good, but please bear in mind that I don't measure things very often. You may have to tweak spices to taste!

2 lbs beef (I used 1/2 venison)
2 cups beef broth
2 sweet potatoes
1 - 28oz can crushed tomatoes
4 Roma tomatoes
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 bell peppers (I used a green and an orange)
1 jalapeño
1/2 of a bunch of cilantro (about 1/2 cup chopped)
3 large garlic cloves (minced or smashed)
1/2 tbs sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 small cinnamon stick

Brown your meat and dice all of your veggies. Place all ingredients in a large crock pot and mix well. I cooked it on high for about two hours then left it on low for another three hours. Cook until sweet potatoes and carrots are soft, but be careful not to over cook, as your veggies get mushy. Enjoy!

Haddock with White Wine Caper Sauce

Tonight's dinner turned out pretty darn good so I thought I would share it!

2-4 haddock filets - seasoned lightly with sea salt and lemon pepper

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until fish is flaky in the center.

Sauce:
3 Tbs butter
1/4 C white wine
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 Tbs capers
1-2 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 Tbs coconut flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp arrowroot powder (optional-thickens it up)

Melt butter in small sauce pan, add wine, lime juice capers and cilantro and bring to a simmer. Whisk in flour, garlic powder and arrowroot powder, return to a simmer. Pour over fish and serve! (I went with zucchini pancakes on the side)

For my family and friends

Since I have not participated in the Thankful Month postings that have dominated facebook, I decided to just make a blog posting. Here I will attempts to take care of all 30 days in one crack! In an effort not to bore you, you may want to scan for your name and skim the rest. :) So, here it goes...

• I am first and foremost thankful for my husband of seven years. Kevin, we have been together for nearly 13 years now, and growing, learning and changing with you has been a wonderful journey. Rough patches in the past and rough patches yet to come, the good times make it worth it. You are one of the strongest people I know and often keep me grounded, bringing balance, security and love to my life. I would not be the person I am without you.
• Thank you to my parents, for your hand in bringing me up to be the best I can be. 
• Mamiska, you have taught me that love can be shown in the simplest touch or the smallest action. You taught me to never stop growing and learning, it is NEVER too late! 
• Daddy, you taught me to take pride in the things I do, and never to "half ass" anything. Your unconditional love will stay with me always - RIP, I love you forever.
• Blood sisters - you know who you are. You two have no idea how much you mean to me. You know as well as I do that sisters don't have to be blood relatives and I am soooo lucky to have such a great relationship with the both of you. The following only scratches the surface of how I feel:
• Hilly, your determination to always stand tall is such an inspiration to me. I learned long ago to never doubt you. You continue to amaze me in all you do, and your sense of humor cracks me up, on a daily basis. If you ever doubt yourself, please remember, all you have to do is take a look at that amazing little girl beside you, and know you are a huge part of who she is.
• Mally, you have overcome things that most people can only read about or see on a screen. Perseverance and grit aside, you have managed to hang onto something very important...your heart. Most people would be hardened, but I am pretty sure your heart got bigger; I just hope you never forget to make room for yourself in there!
• Parents-in-law - I am the luckiest person alive, as far as this goes, you truly are like a second set of parents to me!
• Mom, you have always opened your heart and home to me. Your strong heart, commitment to the things that matter and determination to experience all that life has to offer has inspired me to do so many things in my life! Thank you for always being there for me!
• Dad, I will never forget when my pops passed away, you called me and said "Don't ever forget that you still have a dad." Those words still mean the world to me. Thank you for helping me remember unconditional love and continuing to teach me strength and pride!
• Sisters-in-law - you also know who you are! At some point or another, I feel like I have established a special relationship with every one of you, and you have all taught me things I will carry with me forever!
• Lindsey, I have know you longer than any other member of your family. It is strange how the world works, bringing us into the same family after a small lifetime of being mere acquaintances. I can tell you anything and know that you will just listen with an open heart, bringing all you have to offer to each situation. Thank you for always reminding me that love, understanding and acceptance truly are the most important things in life.
• Katie, what can I say, you hold a special place in my heart. You were pretty much responsible for bringing Kevin into my life (some days I am more thankful for this than others...hehe). We have spent a lot of time together in the past, and you have always provided me with a sanctuary outside of my own home. Thank you for being a big sister to me, I love you forever!
• Jen, you continue to teach me the deeper meaning of family. You are strong, kind and determined, and I admire you and all you do. I love being in your life, learning "Jenninesse"and knowing you will always have coffee!
• Steffie, I miss you more than you know. You always seemed to "get" me and I love that I can always make you laugh, while everyone else missed the joke. You put people around you at complete ease, and accept others for who they are. I will forever aspire to be as grounded as you are!
• Syd, getting to spend a summer with you was great. You are a wonderful, spirited person and I cannot wait to see the woman you become. I am here for you always.
• Brothers-in-law - you two have made me laugh, made me mad, made me smile and made me cry; which means you have both given me something I never thought I would have - brothers!
• Bob, we spent a lot of years in close proximity to each other, and you are responsible for my desire to always have clean kitchen counters! On a serious note, you helped me learn to take pride in all I do. You are also behind my ability to find a way to work and relax at the same time. You have always been there for me, taken chances on me, and given me more opportunity than I probably deserve! Thank you for always pushing me to be the best I can be! (I have a great memory of you driving that red mustang up north to rescue me, in a blizzard. I was terrified the whole drive back... :)
• Dave, I am so glad you moved to our neck of the woods. You not only brought me closer to more family members, but continue to reinforce the meaning behind what it means to be a family. I trust and value your opinions and know I can always count on your honesty. I feel we have bonded over the years of WoW, Kart, and Michael Connelly. May the years bring us more adventures!
• To my nieces and nephews - It would take me two weeks to list out all 12 of you, so I will do my best to cram it into one paragraph! I have enjoyed watching you all enter the world, find your voice, make mistakes, and continue to grow. You have each, in turn, filled my life with laughter, light and love...even the hope of having my own child, (followed closely by the desire to double up on birth control) ;) Thank you all for filling up the holes in my life with your unique personalities, please don't forget about me when you become rich and famous!
• For all of my friends, I am so blessed to have so many of you who really are more like family. I know it is impossible to list you all out and not miss someone, and I hope you all know who you are...but I am going to give it a quick try: Leslie, Lei, Jared, you guys are my oldest and closest friends. No matter how much time passes between visits, I feel like we pick up right where we left off, I will love you forever! Jen, Heidi, Ashley, Amanda, I feel like I have known you ladies my whole life. You guys have re-defined the meaning of soul-mates for me, I am lucky to have you all! Kayla, Brooke...sometimes I feel like we were all sisters in a past life :) I have never met two more unique and beautiful people. Thank you for making me part of your lives! There are more of you...Rena, Emily, Tarah, Nikki, Sarah...I love you all and I am so sorry if I missed anyone!
• And finally, I have to mention how thankful I am every day for my two knucklehead dogs. I love that I can be gone for 10 minutes or 10 days and I am greeted at the door with furry hugs and kisses. Digger and Gwynnie, you truly are my four-legged children!

That should about cover 30 days! I am truly blessed in my life, and could have continued on. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

~Namaste

GMO's? OMG!

While it may seem to some of us that California is states away, and not our concern, I would like to take a moment to recognize the defeat of Prop 37. 

Those of you who know me well, are probably aware that I am not really a political person. I voted republican for many years, to make my parents proud, but my feelings of distrust and distaste fall onto all sides. I hate election season, the two party system, and the fact that the wellbeing of this country has taken a place miles behind the power of the almighty green dollar. I could go on, but I digress.

I have chosen to take my personal politics a step further than just casting my vote. (which, just to verify, I did do) My politics are now something that I can put into effect with each purchase I make at the grocery store, coop, farmers market or directly with a local farmer. 

I truly believe that the health and wellbeing of this country starts with what we put into our mouths. So many of us have fallen victim to convenience, abandoning our human instincts and following misguided information that is presented to us daily through various media sources. We have become so disconnected with our food, and its source, to the point that it has made us the sickest species on the planet. 

One of the biggest causes of debt in this country? Healthcare. Cancer, heart disease, emergency surgeries...medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy. We work hard, save for years, dreaming of retirement, only to have it wiped out by an avoidable heart attack. The sad and simple truth is that this most of this can be avoided...just by changing what you put into our mouths.

Which leads me to Prop 37...a proposition that would have required foods that have been genetically modified to be labeled as such; ensuring that consumers would be aware of what they were purchasing and putting into their bodies. Many devoted people spent over a year gathering the signatures required to secure a spot on the ballot for Prop 37, but California voted. These people, and their supporters, lost the battle. To quote Sean Croxton, of Underground Wellness:

"Apparently 55% of my State's populace doesn't mind being part of our nationwide food experiment."

I loved this, because that is exactly what it is; an experiment. These GMO foods are largely untested on humans, and as many of them are so new, no one will be able to determine the long term effects of until it is too late. 

What can we do about it? We can start by buying foods that don't need labels at all. We can take the time to care about our bodies, to reconnect with our food and its source. There is information out there to guide us, you just have to look. In the meantime, I will continue to stand up for what I believe. I will continue to learn, to read and to grow. I urge you all to read the blog post on this subject from Sean Croxton, linked here.  He also has an awesome youtube channel and a podcast with some very good and very real information. Until next time dear readers...

~Namaste

On Change

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Ghandi-

One of the things I always tell my yoga students is that everyone's body is different, you must honor your own. This holds true to so many aspects of life. Lately, my own thoughts have been focused on change. Change - a word, a concept, an aspect - one that is truly what you make of it, and it is different for everyone. The one constant thing change has going, is that it is inevitable. 

Accepting this fact, accepting that change is going to happen no matter what, can bring a lot of peace to life. I don't pretend to have it all figured out, this is an ongoing learning process for me. It usually involves a lot of patience with myself and loved ones, which I also often struggle with. I try to remind myself that everyone is different and learns at a different pace. I would like to take this moment to share a few of the things that help bring me peace, patience and presence in my own life.

• Learning is really what change is about. Learning is what makes us grow, makes us become better people, working to create a better world to live in.
• Fear of change is something that we have all felt at one time or another, and it is something that we will all feel again. 
• No matter what we do, the world will continue to reach out and push change on us, and it will not always be gentle. Such is the way of life, a living, breathing, shifting thing. 
• There is nothing you  can do to change the past and your future has done nothing to deserve punishment.
• Recognize that the world is changing. Don't fight it, be part of it. Be awake, be present. It really is a beautiful thing, getting to choose. To choose, not just how we handle change, but what we put out into the world. 
• This peace and presence can come from connecting with yourself. The parts that make you who you are, thing things that go deeper that just perceptions and aspects of yourself. 

~Namaste~

An Ode to bacon

I hate to admit I used to be terrified of bacon. Now I am happy to admit I eat this deliciously cured pork belly as often as possible. It also seems to frequently come up in conversations (probably because I bring it up) and I have friends that have recently taken to sending me every bacon joke they find. I am ok with this, it usually gives me a good laugh.
I also think a lot about how conventional wisdom has us demonizing bacon; along with many other real foods that are suddenly discovered as "cancer causing" or "bad for us." You know the headlines I am talking about..."Red Meat Causes Cancer," "Egg Yolks Are Bad For High Cholesterol," and "Low Fat Diet To Lose Weight" have dominated the media for years. (Please allow me to digress a moment...)

I know first hand how hard it is NOT to just blindly follow information that is presented to us though the media. We want to put our trust in these things, we want it to be easy. I personally used to be a devoted follower of these headlines, until I realized they weren't actually working in my favor. What happened to change my mind? Information; but it started with asking questions.

With wondering how everything the headlines and the doctors tell us is the "right way" was not working for me. Why was meat bad for us all of the sudden? What was I doing wrong? Why was I hungry ALL the time? Why was I still gaining weight? Why should I have to take a pill for anxiety? Why was I anxious to begin with? And now I can't sleep?! Why should I have to take another pill?   

It took all of this and more, combined with the right information, from the right person, at the right time to open my eyes to everything else that is out there...if you look for it. I wish it weren't so circumstantial, but unfortunately that is what it comes down to for most of us. I just hope I can be one of the people that is here at the right time for someone else.

Now, back to bacon.

I prefer to cook up the entire package of bacon so I can have the grease handy for cooking. That stuff is good in pretty much anything. The only problem I have with bacon grease is that I sometimes run out of it before I run out of the cooked bacon. Good thing the dogs like bacon too. :)
I could sing praises about its delicious crispy flavor all day, but most of you know what I am talking about. What I am really want to do is to fill you in on a few of the good things that actually come from bacon and cooking with bacon grease. Lets first address part of what makes people hesitate, the burning  question on fat:

Doesn't eating fat make you fat? 
While this may sound logical, fat consumption does not actually make you fat. (I have touched on this in a previous blog entry.) Your body, and its distribution of adipose (fat) tissue is much more complicated that this. Most commonly, the overconsumption of the carbohydrates is what leads to the storage of body fat. This, in turn, throws the hormones, insulin and glucagon, out of whack. These two hormones are responsible for when calories are stored as fat, and for most of us, they can be regulated by what we eat. There is so much we could discuss on this topic, so in the interest of staying focused on bacon, here are some additional reads you can check out for more info on why eating fat does not make us fat:

• "Good Calories, Bad Calories," or the condensed version, "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it," by Gary Taubes.
• This is a great blog post, from Mark Sisson, about why fats are better than carbs as a fuel source.
• Check out what Wikipedia even has to say on the matter of carbohydrate metabolism.

Before we leave the fat discussion behind, I want to reiterate a bit on saturated fat. Saturated fat is another thing that has been wrongfully accused for years. Also discussed in my previous blog entry, saturated fat gets its name because it is fully saturated, which means it is very stable, which means it is safe to consume, even when heated. The point I really want to make here is that bacon is actually 50% monounsaturated fat. Thats the same kind of primary fat you find in olive oil; which we all should recognize as being a healthy fat.
Does all of this mean I am advising you to stock up on as much of the cheapest bacon you can find? Of course not. There is so much to be said for food quality. It is impossible to get good health from a sick animal, making it important to seek foods from animals raised on their natural diet, in a healthy, natural environment whenever possible. (So in the case of pig, we are talking about an omnivorous diet, sans grains, raised on a pasture.) Everytime? In a perfect world, I would say yes, but in the end it comes down to personal priorities and working within your means. Since it is probably apparent that I put bacon pretty high on my priority list, I go for the good stuff probably 8 out of 10 times. In the end though, we just have to do the best we can with what we have to work with.
I know that food is not by any means the only thing necessary for a happy healthy lifestyle. It is, however, a crucial part of the foundation. (A foundation much easier to build, when it includes bacon!) The best advice I can give you is to first consider and prioritize your food choices. Make sure it comes from a source as close to nature as possible, and that you can make it at home in your kitchen, without chemistry equipment. The quality of food is important, so make sure you also appreciate and enjoy the foods you eat.

My soap box is over, but since there is no such thing as too much bacon, check out this hilarious video!

•Note:  The information on this blog is for informational use only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical conditions or to take the place of your physician. Always consult the appropriate health care professional when you have health problems that you feel might require professional attention, or when adding supplementations, while taking existing prescriptions. 

Referenced Resource:
Sanfillipo, Diane. Bacon: Health Food or Devil in Delicious Disguise? Posted May 24, 2011 to: www.balancedbites.com. Retrieved October 5, 2012.

Pumpkin Sage Soup

Continuing with the excess of pumpkin I now have around my house, here is another experiment. Thanks to a blog post from Diane Sanfilippo for the inspiration, I really just tweaked her recipe!

Pumpkin Sage Soup

1 C (8 oz) Pumpkin Puree

1/4 C canned coconut milk
1-2 C beef broth (less for thicker soup)
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1-2 TBS Ghee or Butter or Bacon Grease
Juice of 1/2 an orange
small bunch of fresh sage leaves (prox 1 TBS dried)

Mix broth, pumpkin and coconut milk in medium sauce pan, and add a leaf or two of fresh sage. Set on medium-low heat. Heat chosen oil in pan and sauté onions and garlic until begin to brown. Add a couple of sage leaves to onions, sauté a few more seconds and add to soup mixture, along with the sea salt. Toast remaining sage leaves in saute pan and set aside. Bring soup to a slow boil on med-low heat, remove from heat and add juice of your 1/2 orange. Place a few toasted sage leaves on top and serve.

Pumpkin date logs

I was canning some pumpkin the other day and ended up running out of jars. I had a considerable amount of pumpkin puree left, and was trying to find things to make with it. My last cup of puree began as a total experiment and this is the result! If anyone tries these out, I would love the feedback. (I am not a great baker...) Feel free to play around with this...they were good, but I think they could be better!
~cheers!~

PUMPKIN DATE LOGS

1 C pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
6 TBS Butter (softened)
1/4 C molasses
1 TBS pure vanilla extract
1 C shredded coconut
1 C coconut flour
1 C almond flour
1/4 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Tsp baking powder
1/4 Tsp cardamom
1/4 Tsp nutmeg
1 Tsp ginger
15 dates

Whisk pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, molasses, vanilla and butter together until smooth. Add 1/2 C of the shredded coconut. Sift the dry ingredients together and gradually add to the pumpkin mixture. Dough will become firm, and when flour is well mixed, put the dough in the fridge. Chill for an hour or so.
Chop dates in half and shape chilled dough around the date. Put the remaining coconut in a bowl and coat the cookie in the coconut. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes, until outside starts to brown. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Breakfast this morning was great and I thought I would share!

3 small sweet potatoes
4 eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 TBS maple syrup (more for sweeter taste)
1-2 TBS butter for cooking

(spices can be adjusted to taste and accessibility!)

Bake the sweet potatoes in oven, skin on, until soft. Peel skin, and mash with a fork in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk eggs, maple syrup and dry ingredients in separate bowl until well mixed and add to sweet potatoes. Whisk all together until smooth. Heat butter and spoon batter into pan. Makes 4-5 small pancakes. Enjoy!

Check out this video!

I love this guy, and he gives a great explanation about fat loss. Enjoy and let me know what you think! Leptin Video

Motivators

Wednesday is drawing to a close and I have been thinking a lot today about things that keep me going during the week. While I am fortunate enough to never dread going to work, I do still have trouble getting out of bed on those 4:00 a.m. mornings. I often have to spend a few moments inside my own head, recalling and reflecting upon the things that help me going. Since exercise usually equals happy people, it's easy for me to remember that I enjoy all of the people I interact with during the day.

I was listening to an interview earlier today, with a trainer named Todd Durkin, and he mentioned a quote I liked a lot:

"Motivation is external, inspiration is internal"

~Simon Lawry

This wonderful statement is so simply and beautifully true; I thought about it all afternoon. 

As a fitness trainer, I get about 35-45 minutes a day to help push, encourage, and motivate people that come in for their workout. Inspiration is what brings them there every day. Something, perhaps several somethings, have inspired them to go after a healthier, better life for themselves. The best part about this, is that it is contagious. It motivates others around them to seek the same. I see this all the time, as members of my gym are often closely followed by friends, family and coworkers. It is a huge part of what motivates and inspires me each day! These two things may be separate, but are so closely intertwined I am not sure one could exist without the other.

This all made me think of the butterfly effect. It seems to me that this is often associated with something negative; a chaos theory. What if we apply it to a smaller scale and perhaps ask instead, what happens if the butterfly flaps its wings and helps the one next to it learn how to fly?
This also made me think a lot about the energy we put out into the world, and how each day, we have a choice in this.
I believe each person has something exceptional to offer the world, so here is a chance to share some of what makes you, my readers, unique. What motivates and inspires you each day? I would love to hear your comments and thoughts! If one person, just one person, reads and relates to your comment, that is one life that you may have helped change for the better.

~Namaste

Mashed NOT Potatoes

While I can't take full credit for this one, I am pretty proud of how these turned out and feel like I am sharing the best recipe possible!

1 large head of cauliflower
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/2 C chopped nuts (almonds or cashews are my favorite)
1 TBS coconut oil
1-2 TBS bacon grease and/or butter
1/2 - 1 Cup coconut milk (the canned kind, not from the carton)
1/2 TBS fresh rosemary (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Chop or break cauliflower up into pieces. Melt and drizzle your coconut oil on pieces, add some salt and pepper, and mix the cauliflower pieces to coat with oil as much as possible. Bake on a flat cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. When cauliflower is just starting to get tender, turn the BROILER on and add your nuts and whole cloves of garlic. Toast everything approximately 2-4 minutes. Keep an eye on this, and remove when everything starts to brown.
I use a food processor or blender for this next part, so whatever you have that will whip this up the best is what I recommend! I dump the mixture into the blender, add 1/2 of the coconut milk, bacon grease and any spices. Puree/blend/mix this all up until the texture becomes light and fluffy. Add more coconut milk as needed!

Rearranged

I have recently been giving a lot of thought to my life's priorities. Since I have not posted a blog in a LONG time, this seemed like a good topic to use to help me get back into the swing of thing. Writing has been a big part of my life and the fact that I have been neglecting it does not sit well with me.

This thought process really came to the front of my mind a couple of days ago. I had managed to work up some serious anxiety over whether or not I should use my last hour before work to walk the dogs or finish the laundry. Just writing this out makes me shamefully shake my head at myself. What a stupid thing to get worked up over. I should have been grateful this was all I had to worry about that day.
My priority check landed me on the dog walk for a couple of reasons;

1. It is nearly impossible to get any work done around my house when the dogs want to go for their walk. 
2. I decided it would be a good opportunity to relax, clear my head and get some vitamin D. 

This second part completely backfired on me. I always seem to forget that walking my dogs is not even remotely relaxing. Gwynnie seems to think it is her personal obligation to pull me down the sidewalk as hard and fast as she can. By the time I get her reigned in, Digger will spot some unsuspecting kid on a bike or skateboard and charge after them, barking his head off, while simultaneously attempting to pull my arm from the socket. What did I at least get out of the deal? Tired, but happy dogs. They are lucky I love them. I was able to get in a bit of good thinking on this walk, which in turn, did relax me a little. I would like to share some of my recent reflections (in no particular order):

-Life is about growth and change; managing the stress that comes with it becomes a huge part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 
-I often have to remind myself to let go of things that are out of my control, to be patient with    

myself and to check in with my priorities. 

-Checking in with yourself and your priorities is important sometimes, as things often need to be rearranged and reorganized.

-Remember to take care of your body, which in turn will help fuel your mind. (and vice versa!)

-It is the past and the future that cause us anxiety, so live in the present moment as much as possible!
-At the end of the day, take note of all that you have and be grateful for it.

Well, my friends, I am writing this at the end of the day and in an effort to practice what I preach, here is a short list of things I am thankful for:

• A job that does not feel like work
• A patient husband who loves me
• Crazy dogs that greet me at the door each day as if I have been gone for a week.
• A belly full of good food 
• Sun-dried tomato basil meatloaf, mashed cauliflower with toasted garlic and cashews, and sweet potato cubes fried in bacon grease. I will share these recipes in exchange for blog comments!

Future plan for you, my readers? I am hoping to get out at least one blog a week, if not more, and plan to include things like recipes and links to other blogs of interest. As always, feedback, questions and suggestions are always welcome!
Namaste

Brain food

Good news! I have recently started a new job at a health and wellness center, and I am very optimistic about my future there. Bad news, my blogging time has become temporarily limited. I am hoping to have some time in a week or two to sit down and really put the time in for a good solid entry. In the meantime, I have been thinking of some things that I would like to share with you all.
We have been putting a lot of focus on the importance of eating well. We should all know how important it is to get out there and move your body. Exercise is so beneficial, even if it's just a short half hour walk every day. We will discuss more on this in the future. It's easy to put focus on these two things and glance over the importance of what you are feeding your mind.
While I truly believe that by eating and moving well, the positive thinking tends to come naturally; I also believe that negative thoughts are sometimes all that stand in the way of making positive changes and advances in your life. This makes your mind a very powerful tool, and if you use it to your advantage, the possibilities are endless.
As a yoga instructor, I am always trying to think of ways to give my class a new way to look at the life before them. After a battle with depression and anxiety, it was yoga that started me down prescription-free path to health and wellness. I have felt the power of what proper thinking can do, and mixing it with the right food and exercise can make a person one step short of bulletproof. Today, I would like to share some of the lessons and perspectives that have helped me over the years. Some I have found in books and magazines, others I have written myself. Each has played a role in the person I am working to become; a person who will never stop growing, learning and changing. Otherwise, what is the point?

Feed your Mind

1. The mind is the most complex organ in your body. It sends billions of signals to your entire body, and it needs to be taken care of. You have the power to change your view, you are in control of how you see the world. 
2. Stop and listen to your inner dialog and ask yourself if you like what you hear.
3. Negatives get in the way of a happy life. Choose what you give your energy to and don't let it go to waste. Sometimes all that needs to change is your perspective.
4. Believe in yourself. Your true belief is revealed in the smallest moments. If you tell yourself that you will do something, do you do it? When you promise to set boundaries for yourself, do you set them? These are small, defining moments; they define your ability to believe in yourself. When you can count on yourself to follow through with even the smallest details, you will be able to love stronger, face adversity with clarity and generate peace in yourself through all interactions.
5. Approach life with love, patience and grace. Accept compliments and feedback, listen you your loved ones and slow down your haste. Don't fall back to doubt, it is a powerful destabilizer. 
6. Learning to let go of the things you cannot control is the only way to gain control of your own life. Don't waste time and energy being angry with things occurring around you. Acknowledge them and let them pass on by. Grasp onto the things that bring you peace. Let them keep you grounded, dig in, plant your roots and see what grows.
7. Self realized change is the only sustainable change. This can only come from focused, inner work. Set goals and follow them! 
8. Don't dwell on guilt, acknowledge it, learn from it, move past it.
9. Live in the balance. There are shades of gray we must apply to our lives. Whether it is taking a pause to gather your thoughts before answering a question, or accepting that things do not always have to go as expected. Live in these pauses, these between times. Yes, they can often be uncomfortable, but we can learn so much about ourselves in these moments. Embrace these shades of gray.
10. Take responsibility for your own happiness and unhappiness. All beings are responsible for their own actions. Suffering or happiness is created with your relationship to the experience, not the experience itself. Although you may wish only the best for yourself, happiness or unhappiness depends on your actions, not your wishes. May you not be caught in reactivity.

~Namaste

Let the Sun Shine

"Keep your face always towards the sunshine  - and the shadows will fall behind you."

-Walt Whitman-

I wanted nothing more than to sleep in this morning, but my dogs had other evil plans. I lay in bed thinking about how much I hate 5:30 a.m. but grateful that the sun was at least up. Summer is my absolute favorite time of year. In light of the season before us, I decided to get up and take a moment to discuss getting the maximum benefits from what the sun has to offer. 

Vitamin D is necessary for optimal health, but there are very few food sources for this vital nutrient; so we evolved to absorb and use the suns UVB rays to produce it. 
Unfortunately, modern society has us terrified of the sun. Most people spend all day inside with artificial light, and then when we do get outside, we layer on clothes or sunscreen to "protect" ourselves from the sun. 
Most of us know that vitamin D plays a role in keeping our bones healthy. We also now know that it also plays a role in reducing the risk of things like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and depression (seasonal depression in particular). Humans have become significantly deficient in this nutrient, because we try to obtain it all from food and supplement sources. 

The fact is, unless you are eating a ton of wild caught salmon or knocking back a couple of tablespoons of cod liver oil every day (which I wouldn't recommend in this dose...), you are probably deficient in vitamin D. Are you for sure deficient? The only way to know for sure if to get your blood vitamin D levels tested. Personally, I am opting to save a buck, assume that I am deficient, and take advantage of the summer sun. 
The trick is to be smart about it. Humans are meant to get sunlight, not to get sunburned. Gradually increase your exposure, and cover up if you feel like you are getting too much sun. Optimizing your diet will in turn, optimize your skin condition. Our sun protection is meant to work from the inside, out. I really encourage you to check this post from Mark Sisson. He gives great details on how your body can work to naturally protect you from sunburns. I also recommend giving Dr. James Chestnut's post about sun exposure a read.
In the meantime, get outside and enjoy natures powerful medicine!

A few tips for getting vitamin D:

* Supplementation - make sure you are taking D3, not D2, and research the source of your supplements! (I have run into info that talks about taking it with a serving of fat for optimal absorption, and/or   taking it at night for possibly optimizing your sleep...do what like with these tidbits.)

* Go for wild caught salmon, not farm raised. If buying canned, buy it with bones in it.

* Spend at least 10 minutes a day, letting the sun hit your skin.

* Read/research your info, question everything and never stop learning!

•Note:  The information on this blog is for informational use only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical conditions or to take the place of your physician. Always consult the appropriate health care professional when you have health problems that you feel might require professional attention, or when adding supplementations, while taking existing prescriptions. 


References:


http://robbwolf.com/2011/09/03/let-a-little-sunshine-in/


http://www.wellnessandprevention.com/index.cfm/2011/7/14/Sun-Exposure-Cancer-Preventing-or-Cancer-Causing


http://www.marksdailyapple.com/8-natural-ways-to-prevent-a-sunburn-and-sunscreens-not-one-of-them/#axzz1wRgvedFL


http://www.westonaprice.org/cod-liver-oil/cod-liver-oil-basics

Perspectives

"Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness."

-Hippocrates

Cancer is something I have long since thought of as a dirty word. When someone you love first tells you they have cancer, something indescribable happens to your insides...no matter what details and information follow, all that resonates is the initial statement; "I have cancer."
I have been on the receiving end of this statement more than I care to recall; then in-turn, watched it claim the lives of several people I loved. It is a devastating, life altering experience. My perspectives on cancer, however, have changed several times over the the years. It has become as equally devastating to me to learn that so many cases of cancer are entirely preventable.
The treatments used to kill cancer cells, while often effective, also bother me. Chemotherapy and radiation wreak havoc on a body that is already expressing obvious immune deficiency. I can't help but wonder - as we continue to spend money on cancer research, and question if there will ever be a cure - if we have been following a misguided path and asking the wrong questions for years.
I don't want to undermine the importance of cancer research. We need to know as much as possible about how it works and develops in our bodies. This knowledge has even allowed man to developed a way to kill cells when the cancerous ones get out of control. But what if more time and money went into developing concrete studies on prevention?  I truly believe that the real cure for cancer is simply in prevention, through optimal health. Keeping your cells in homeostasis, if you will, automatically creates an unfit environment for the majority of cancer cells to develop. Hippocrates understood this 2000 years ago! (Refer to quote at the top of the page)
I want to take a quick look at some numbers.


Even with all of the advancements, research and spending that is done, The American Cancer Society estimates that 1,638,910 people in the US will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Of these, 577,190 people are expected to die from cancer. Thats over 1500 people every day. 


These statistics are upsetting, but what gets me even further worked up, are the percentage of these cancer cases that are PREVENTABLE! I have read a few different articles on cancer from the PubMed Central® archives, with results that do vary. One may say that 90-95% of cancers are due to environment and lifestyle, while another may claim that 80-90% should be avoidable, BUT there is one thing that obviously stands out. The odds are in our favor! 

This is good news, it means we don't have to get cancer! We can take control of our own lifestyle choices, we can educate ourselves. The kicker here is to find trustworthy information. Now I am obviously not a doctor, and I would never tell anyone to go against what their physician says. What I will do is encourage people to ask questions, and look at the source of where all of your information comes from. To elaborate on this, I want to use one of the best analogies I have ever read.

The Fire Department Analogy 

(Chestnut, 2004. - a brief look, not taken word-for-word)

Your mind and body represent your house. Renters and homeowners alike should know that if you don't maintain and take care of your house, it will begin to fall apart. You sometimes might have to call a plumber to fix a leak or a roofer to repair shingles; these guys help keep your house in working condition. Unfortunately, crisis does occur and say your house catches fire. You now have an emergency, who do you call? The roofer or plumber? Of course not, now you need the fire department. 
Enter firemen, armed with their axes and fire hoses, chopping down doors and walls, soaking the entire house, and hopefully putting out the fire as quickly and efficiently as possible. Now you are looking at what is left of your house. The fire department has done their job, the flames are out, you are safe for the time being, but your house is in bad shape. Charred, soaking wet, with axed out holes. Who will you call now? The fire department is only armed with axes and firehouses, they can't restore your house to livable conditions. 
Now we call on restoration and maintenance! They are armed with wood, hammers, nails and paintbrushes; the tools needed to help restore your home. Is one better than the other? Of course not, they are both important services, armed with tools of their trade, to be used when appropriate.

In congruence with the topic in discussion, I want to point out that houses don't catch fire because they are deficient in axes and hoses any more than we develop cancer because of lack of chemo or radiation. Pretty much everyone walks around with abnormal cells in their body that, given the right environment, can mutate into cancer. Usually, your immune system keeps things in check, but again, in a toxic environment, your immune system weakens and these cells can mutate and take over. It seems natural and logical to, in turn, create an environment that is inhospitable to these cancerous cells; A nutrient rich environment that strengthens your immune system and optimizes your genetics. Thus we have reached the core of my drive to seek optimal health.
What I want to offer you are some of my suggestions to help make your life and your body the best it can be, based upon the time when our genes were evolving and developing into what they are today. Evolution moves slowly, the basics still remain. Take and do what you want with them, I can only encourage you to give it a try. So many things in our enviroment are toxic and out of our control. I only hope to encourage you to take control of anything and everything you can. Science changes and new things are learned each day. Arm yourself with knowledge, never stop learning and always ask questions.

A Recipe for Optimal Health

(with a focus on preventing/deterring cancer cell growth)

• Remove all foods that weaken the immune system. This includes starchy foods and anything with sugar. 
• If you are paying special attention to cancer, sugar is like a catalyst to cancer cells, they thrive on it. Remember that fruit has sugar in it and it would be beneficial if eliminated, or at least limited. 
• Fill yourself up on the healthiest foods possible. Tons of fresh veggies (organic whenever possible), lean animal protein (properly fed their natural diet whenever possible), and healthy fats from these animals or other healthy sources (which can be found in my fat blog, and the links included in it.) 
• When you shop, shop the outer perimeters of the grocery store. Be wary of foods that do not spoil...that usually just means that even mold is smart enough not to eat that crap.
• Foods with flour or grains of any kind should be eliminated, or at least extremely limited. This includes cookies, pasta, corns, whole wheat and whole grains. Your body converts this into sugar very easily. Sugar is bad, grains are bad. Not only are you feeding possible cancer cells, grains contain things like phytates, which actually inhibit the absorption of minerals in your body. So much for that good source of fiber.
• Go for clean, filtered water, and keep yourself hydrated.
• Get some sun! Sunlight doesn't cause cancer, sunburns cause cancer. If you start to feel like you may burn, don't lather chemicals on your body, cover up or go inside. People have been living under these rays since the dawn of man, just be smart about it. We need vitamin D, and keeping your levels up is very important to your health.
• Get good sleep, preferably in total darkness. We need the battery charge and artificial light interrupts the natural cycle of our bodies.
• Exercise your body! Do yourself a huge favor, take a half hour out of your day and go for a brisk walk. That leaves you 23 and a half hours to do whatever else you need/want.
• Exercise your mind! This one is so often glanced over. I truly believe your can change your entire life just by not feeding into negative thoughts. Change your perspectives. When something bothers you or annoys you, acknowledge it and let it pass. That guy that flipped you the bird is the one having the bad day, it is nothing personal.
• Surround yourself with positive thoughts and positive people, because some people can also be toxic to your health.

Thanks to all of my readers for sticking with me, especially on this long-winded post! Comments, questions and concerns are always welcome. I would like to briefly mention that cancer is only being targeted here, simply because of the effect it has had on my personal life. Optimal health (proper diet, proper exercise and positive thinking) is the answer to so much more than cancer. It applies to all chronic illness, from obesity, to diabetes, to heart disease, to depression, to autoimmune. 

•Note:  The information on this blog is for informational use only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical conditions or to take the place of your physician. Always consult the appropriate health care professional when you have health problems that you feel might require professional attention.

References:


Chestnut, James L. The Innate Diet™ & Natural Hygiene. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Wellness Practice-Global Self Health, 2004. Print


http://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-guide/your-diagnosis/how-cancer-develops.html. Retrieved May 17, 2012


Preetha Anand, Ajaikumar B. Kunnumakara, Chitra Sundaram, Kuzhuvelil B. Harikumar, Sheeja T. Tharakan, Oiki S. Lai, Bokyung Sung, Bharat B. Aggarwal. Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires Major Lifestyle Changes. Pharm Res. 2008 September; 25(9): 2097–2116. Published online July 15, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2012


Getoff, David J. If You Have Cancer. Retrieved May 17, 2012.


The American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.

A follow-up

For anyone thinking I may be riding the crazy train after my last fatty posting, I have at least discovered that I am not the lone passenger. :)

Check out this link for a great read on butter!

Until next time...

Don't Fear the Fat!

If common knowledge has ever gotten anything wrong, it is on the subject of  fat; specifically the saturated kind, which has been demonized for years. Initially, this was a tough one for me. I lost count of the internal debates I had with myself during the course of my acceptance of high fat in my diet.
We have been "taught" for so long that the plethora of low fat options offered to us are the healthy choices. This message is presented so strongly that they even make 'fat-free' fat. (Refer to the peanut butter shelves and margarine selections at the store)
The standard American diet gravitates us right to low-fat, high-carb choices. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has had years of government endorsed food pyramids, and now, the new My Plate, suggesting what and how we should eat.
Fortunately, they are just suggestions, and often not well researched suggestions. It just seems to me that USDA and the American Dairy Association have a pretty vested interest in marketing the benefits of grains and dairy, so their opinions on what we should and should not eat mean pretty much nothing to me.
What nobody mentions is that the high carbohydrate, sugar filled alternatives placed in front of us are not the optimal source of fuel the human body. (Check out my previous entry Sugar High for more details on this). Something else that seems to get overlooked, are the cheap chemical fillers used to put flavor back into the products. (I use the term "product" in favor of the extended "food like substance.")
In hindsight, I am not sure what my hangup was. I was basically getting permission to add extra butter to everything and eat bacon whenever I wanted...and I was hesitating?!?! I have yet to meet a person who can complain about more butter or bacon.
I have digressed. Let me reiterate; low-fat does NOT equal health food. Low-fat equals things like chemical alterations, fake flavor, pseudo sugars and the ever-evil high fructose corn syrup.
I want to address what you may be thinking...perhaps something like "eating fat will make me fat" or that "saturated fat will clog my arteries." While this may seem logical, the reality is that fats only turn to fat in the body in the presence of carbohydrates. Fat also isn't water soluble. A quick Google search tells us that our blood is over 80% water, so the suggestion that saturated fat can enter and clog arteries begins to make less sense. Let's take a quick look at some details:

Saturation: one method used to classify fatty acids. We have saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

• Saturated fat is made solely of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), meaning that all of its bonds are filled. There are no open holes, it is fully saturated, which means nothing foreign can get in and cause it to spoil. This makes the fat resistant to high heat, gives it a long shelf life, is solid at room temperature, and is compatible with and essential to many functions in the human body. Half of human cell membrane structure is made of saturated fat, and it is used by the body as a source of energy. (Sisson, 2009). Your body actually converts and stores excess carbohydrates as saturated fat for later use; humans are fat burners by default.
• Monounsaturated fats have just one (mono, single, solo) double-bond in their fatty acid chain. These are generally accepted in conventional wisdom as a heart healthy fat, often containing many vitamins and minerals, and have been linked to improving blood-cholesterol levels. The one double-bond makes this fat liquid at room temperature, becoming more solid when chilled. More double bonds equals more fluidity to the fat (Sisson, 2008).
• This leads me to polyunsaturated fats. As you may have guessed, polyunsaturated fats have more than one double-bond in their fatty acid chain. These pretty much remain in liquid form, even when chilled. This volatile liquid form makes them unstable, particularly when heated, which will actually make the fat go rancid (Sisson, 2008). This was great information for me, as I had been cooking with olive oil for years thinking I was making a healthy choice. 
• Trans fat rules the bad fats. Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been through a hydrogenation process; meaning the oils have had hydrogen atoms added to them to make them thicker at room temperature. (think margarine and shortening) A seemingly simple process that may have began with good intentions, but unfortunately, this man-made operation unleashes havoc in our bodies.

We could spend paragraphs picking apart good and bad fat sources, so in an effort to not bore you, check out this link for a good guide to fats. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and get rid of all the vegetable and seed oils in your cupboard, and if you see anything that contains the word "hydrogenated" on the label, run as far away as possible.

A lot of conventional wisdom and basic assumptions will tell us that glucose (which comes from carbohydrates) is the preferred source of energy for the body; but the body can only hold so much glucose for energy, before it begins to store it as body fat. The liver (and other glucose burning organs) can only hold about a days worth of glycogen for energy use. The muscles can store enough to fuel about 90 minutes of reasonably intense physical activity (Sisson, 2011). 

I feel it may be important to state at this point that I am not afraid of carbohydrates. I do take into consideration that some people might run better off of carbohydrates. Personally, I notice a difference in my athletic performance and energy if I have a higher carb intake. Depending on my activity level, I tend to feel better when I eat more sweet potatoes, squash or bananas. I just try to pay attention to my body and choose smart carbs to fuel my more intense workouts. This leads me to another major problem with conventional carb intake; The cheapest and most available sources of carbohydrates are from processed grains and sugar. Educating yourself and making smart choices really does make all the difference. 

In his 2011 blog posting (referenced below), Mark Sisson referred to the Carb Paradigm as "an unsustainable and ridiculous literal and figurative treadmill." As someone who used to run miles on this treadmill, I am inclined to agree. Sisson gives us excellent details in the aforementioned article, and I highly recommend giving it a read.
Now there are always exceptions to this. I am sure we all have that friend or relative who can eat whatever they want and don't seem to gain a pound. Does this make them healthy? Does this mean they are running in the most efficient way possible? It just seems to me that this "Carb Paradigm" causes more problems that it does good. Of the three macronutrients, carbohydrates are the only one that humans can live without. As long as you are getting a good supply of fat and protein, you can lead a long and healthy life with little to no carbs in your diet. If you were to cut either fat or protein from your diet, you would end up getting sick and dying (Sisson). 
Thank you all for your time, please share any questions or comments. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated!

To conclude this post, I would like to share a brief list of some of my favorite fat/energy sources:

• Avocado - An excellent monounsaturated fat source, these are one of my go-to favorites. Avocados are a very healthy fat source, loaded with vitamins, mineral, and antioxidants. I also find them a very filling compliment to bacon, eggs, salads and burgers.
• Coconut and Coconut Oil: Perhaps a future blog post on its own; This fairly unique fat source is a medium chain triglyceride, which essentially means that it is easily absorbed and put directly to use, energizing our bodies. This easily digested oil is my favorite to cook with, the milk is excellent in soups and dips, and shredded coconut meat makes a great snack.
• Animal meat: Comes in many forms, flavors, and with tons of other nutrients to boot. Humans need it, and thrive on it. Go grass fed on your beef, pasture raised on your chicken, and wild caught on your fish whenever possible. This will help to avoid harmful antibiotics and hormones.  
• Ghee: Clarified butter adds an excellent flavor to sautéed vegetables or fried eggs.
• Olive Oil: My favorite to drizzle on salads or on top of a bowl of soup. Just to reiterate, olive oil turns rancid easily if heated, so this is best used added to cold or cooked food.

Main Resource:


Sisson, Mark. Is Saturated Fat Healthy?(2009). / Why Fat, Not Carbs, Are the Preferred Fuel for the Human Body (2011). / The Definitive Guide to Fats (2008). Posted to Marks Daily Apple, Retrieved April 29, 2012